TitanFall 2 will be deploying in a limited fashion this weekend with the recently announced PSN exclusive Stress Test. After playing two rounds of the shooter at EA Play this past June I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that there is a lot to be excited for in this long awaited sequel.

Here are just a few of improvements that you should be looking forward too:

• Enhanced Abilities– The first game really only had cloaking & enhanced movements as its most noticeable enhancements that pilots had at their exposure. While burn cards provided players with ‘amped up’ versions of existing weapons, the sequel’s inclusion of a grappling hook makes the series’ verticality even more important. Not only can you run along wall and use a double jump but at the press of a button your pilot can swing onto roof-tops and ledges, making it even harder for opponents to spot you.

• Executions Add To The Immersion – Standing behind someone and pressing a button to execute a melee kill, it might as well be an action game cliché at this point but for some reason I found that it enriched the Titanfall 2 experience. Perhaps it is Respawn Entertainment’s Call of Duty roots but having an option that shifts the perspective away from first person, even for a few seconds, helps TitanFall 2 set itself apart from its contemporaries.

• No Bull%$% DLC Policy – If you’re worried that TitanFall 2’s on-disc / day one multiplayer offerings will soon become splintered due to expensive add-ons, fear not. At E3 Respawn affirmed that ALL DLC for TitanFall 2 will be provided to users free of charge. There will be no splitting of the community due to multiple map packs or $20 add-on packs after launch. Maps & Modes will be provided to all players for free, what hasn’t been mentioned is whether not Titanfall 2 will include optional cosmetics.

Just a small taste of TitanFall 2 will be on offer during the first weekend of the technical test. Here is how the PlayStation Blog described the content that we will get to enjoy this weekend:

Modes

Bounty Hunt (5v5): A brand new mode in Titanfall 2 that pits you and your teammates against an opposing team of Pilots as well as the Remnant Fleet. Earn bonuses by killing grunts and enemies, but make sure to deposit all your points at the bank between waves without getting killed! Once a bounty Titan shows up you’ll want to focus all fire and take it down as a team for a massive payout!

Pilots vs. Pilots (8v8): Think you have what it takes to be the best Pilot on the Frontier? Put your combat and mobility skills to the ultimate test in this classic eight-on-eight Pilots-only mode.

Maps

Boomtown: A secret underground IMC facility where the latest in R&D is put to the test. In this facility Pilots can use the many peaked roofs as cover against combatants below, as well as numerous interiors to maneuver through for a variety of firing positions without being spotted. With tight lanes through the middle, Titans can easily be ambushed unless they head off the main pathways and into the surrounding fields.

Homestead: The IMC have claimed Imminent Domain on a small commune’s plot of land when valuable natural resources are found. A series of raised, rocky plateaus with a river running down the middle, Pilots are mostly safe from Titans among the rocks and trees but they also can duck into the caves and buildings when needed. Titans control the large rolling fields, so be extra cautious when traveling between the plateaus.”

A second technical test with an additional map “Base Kodai” and an additional mode “Amped Hardpoint (6 Vs 6) will be included during the August 26th through 28th test. If you jump into a mech this weekend on PSN or Xbox Live please tell me if I nailed some of the more exciting features of TitanFall 2 in the comments section!